Viper Among the Stars
by grohiik
Summary: A member of an ancient race awakens to find that the universe he knew has been left behind and forgotten. Now he has only one mission. Stop the reapers by any means possible.


Chapter 1

I woke up slowly feeling groggy and sluggish. As I raised my body up my head hit something directly above me. As I groaned the memories hit me, hard. My head screamed in pain as I saw my race, the Sah'Theat. We were a tall race mainly because while are upper bodies looked close to humans down past the waist was just one long snake like tail. Some of us had tails that reached ten feet long. We lived very long live and very few of us died from old age. Our entire body was covered in scales that varied widely in color. Our heads had elongated snouts and some of our species grew a sort of cobra like fan, others grew horns, and others grew some weird kind of feathers out of there skull. We all were venomous each with our own unique brand of venom that could be ejected from our fangs. Mine as I recalled was two fold. First I could inject a type of paralysis venom from my fangs and second I could spit out an acidic neurotoxin from specialized spit glands. My race only had four fingers, with webbing in between each one. We also had developed the ability to breathe underwater and air since our home world was one giant marsh. Our two eyes were snake like allowing us to see easier at night. Just underneath them we had pits that, when we closed our eyes, allowed ourselves to see in thermal. Our nostrils were only for breathing, the way we smelt was with our forked tongue. Our strength was off the charts. Our tails could crush a fully armored opponent with ease All of this gave us a major advantage over the rest of the races in our cycle.

With all this information also came memories from my life as a Sah'Theat named Salizar. Being raised by loving but strict parents. Our family adopting my older brother who was from a different race. Both of us entering the military one year apart. Both of us getting basic training and being chosen to become part of the elite viper task force. Getting specialized training in guerilla warfare and raiding tactics. My brother went on to become a sniper who could shoot the head off any target within a mile. I specialized in close quarters combat and hand to hand combat. We were always deployed as a pair and had close to zero mission failures.

We made quite the team until the reapers hit. When they did we realized we were hopelessly out matched so we set up catches of information that could help those who came after us. Some of our more advanced scientists developed stasis pods that could contain a living being and keep them alive for hundreds of thousands of years. At least that was the theory. The species of the universe took volunteers from their militaries to be put in these pods so that they could awaken after the reapers were gone to warn the next cycle. At the time we only had the resources to make thirty of these pods. We were all given a new set of armor before being put in. This armor was specialized with shields that could take the blast from a tank and still be up. The armor was also light weight but durable in case our shields went down. Each set was designed with its wearer's fighting style in mind. Also they all came equipped with an AI to watch over us as we slept and to assist us once we were awoken.

My suit was designed to be extremely lightweight and concealable. It consisted of a light weight titanium vest that stopped at my neck, arms, and waist. Also lightweight titanium squares lining the back of my arms, tail, and neck, along with skin tight gloves on both hands. When activated these squares would quickly spread and deploy titanium scales all over my body while the ones on my neck covered my head and fore head horns in my helmet. From there I could order my AI to completely seal my suit or leave it breathable so I could still smell. Also the squares on my left arm house my dark brown omni-tool and omni-shield. The ones on my neck also house my AI's core processors. My vest houses my shield generators as well as small jets on my shoulders for zero g maneuvers. By the time all of this was completed the reapers had almost won. The group of thirty volunteers from the advanced races at the time, including my brother and me, were put into there individual pods and dropped onto planets that could or already were holding primitive life. We had no idea where we would wake up or when, but we did know one thing. We needed to stop the reapers.

All of this flashed through my mind in seconds leaving me dazed and confused for a few minutes until I finally refocused. I realized I was still in the pod and could see outside it. When I did all I could see was shimmering light until what looked like a fish swam in front of the glass view port. Well at least that answers part of the question of where I ended up. I looked down at myself to see my body was bathed in a comforting dark green glow. "Well then let's try and figure out how to get out of here," I said to myself. Much to my surprise a light feminine voice responded with "Ah good you are awake, Salizar. I can release you once I have finished all routine medical checks and redownloaded myself onto your suits memory drives." Oh yeah I have an AI. What was her name again, Cary, Carl? Coral ah got it. "Thank you Coral. Can you run a suit diagnostic as well, please?"

"Very well since you asked so nicely I suppose I could." Coral responded sarcastically.

I laughed as my suit activated around me, "It's good to see you haven't lost that sense of humor, Coral. How long have I been in here?" my suit closed around me and for a second all I saw was black and then my HUD appeared giving me real time information on my shield strength, armor integrity, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen reserves, and core temperature. "Well the planet we are on has been successful at interstellar space travel during this cycle unlike the last cycle." I could sense she was stalling so I cut her off.

"How long Coral?"

"One hundred thousand one hundred eighty three years two months and seven days, Salizar."

"Oh my god what happened to the other pods?"

"Well," She stated nervously, "all but two pods have been deactivated and of those twenty eight users none are still alive." I was speechless to think twenty eight of people that I had just been joking around with and talking too before I got in this stupid pod were dead. Then I thought of something.

"Coral who's pod is still active?!" I asked franticly.

"It appears your brother's pod is still active although I can't pin point his location right now." I let out a sigh of relief. That was one worry off my chest. At least he was still alive. Now all I have to do is find him.

"Salizar," Coral said, "I have finished downloading onto your suit and have finished both medical and suit checks. Everything appears to be in working order and we can begin the release program from the pod."

"Good, but before we do retract my suit, I want to feel the water and sun on my skin."


End file.
